Crematogaster binghamii, FOREL, 1904

Hosoishi, Shingo & Ogata, Kazuo, 2016, Systematics and biogeography of the ant genus Crematogaster Lund subgenus Orthocrema Santschi in Asia (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 176 (3), pp. 547-606 : 576-577

CREMATOGASTER BINGHAMII FOREL, 1904

( FIG. 98 )

Crematogaster binghamii Forel, 1904: 24 ;

syntype workers, Sikkim, India (MM. Bingham & Moller) ( MHNG, examined) . One syntype worker in MHNG here designated Lectotype.

Crematogaster binghamii ; Santschi, 1918: 182 [Combination in C. ( Orthocrema )].

Crematogaster binghamii ; Emery, 1922: 131. [Combination in C. ( Orthocrema )].

Crematogaster binghamii ; Blaimer, 2012c: 55 [Combination in C. ( Orthocrema )].

Worker measurements (n = 10): HW 0.52–0.57; HL 0.52– 0.59; CI 89–100; SL 0.46–0.50; SI 84–92; EL 0.13– 0.16; PW 0.30–0.34; WL 0.64–0.69; PSL 0–0.03; PtL 0.18–0.21; PtW 0.16–0.18; PtH 0.12–0.16; PpL 0.13– 0.16; PpW 0.15–0.19; PtHI 67–84; PtWI 80–94; PpWI 100–138; WI 93–118.

General description of worker: Workers monomorphic.

Head subquadratic in full-face view. Mandibles with four teeth arranged at an equal distance, apical and subapical teeth large, basal two teeth smaller. Anterior clypeal margin convex in medial portion. Compound eyes distinctly projecting beyond lateral margins of head in full-face view. Scapes reaching posterolateral corners of head.

Pronotal collar with weakly concave anterior margin in dorsal view, distinctly lower than pronotum in lateral view. Pronotal dorsum without distinct ridges laterally. Mesonotal dorsum with lateral ridges that extend posteriad to anterodorsal corners of propodeal dorsum; the ridges forming pair of small triangular processes (angles) between dorsal and declivity faces of mesonotum (this condition is more easily seen with mesosoma in lateral view). Pronotum and mesonotum in lateral view not clearly forming continuous dorsal outline. Metanotal groove in dorsal view transverse, almost straight in median portion, forming deep concavity that is laterally margined by lamellate ridges. Propodeal spiracles oval, situated at posterolateral corners of propodeum, apart from metapleural gland bullae. Propodeal spines undeveloped.

Petiole in dorsal view with subparallel sides and narrow anteriorly, longer than wide. Posterior portion of petiole without distinct process in lateral view. Subpetiolar process weakly developed as blunt process. Postpetiole in lateral view with weakly convex dorsum, as high as petiole, in dorsal view as wide as petiole, globular, not bilobed. Subpostpetiolar process undeveloped, but venter of postpetiole convex.

Integument essentially smooth and shining. Dorsal surface of head smooth and shining. Mandibles with feeble rugulae and smooth interspaces. Clypeus generally smooth and shining, but with one to two distinct pairs of longitudinal rugulae; rugulae not extending to posterior clypeal margin. Dorsal and lateral surfaces of pronotum smooth and shining; anterolateral shoulders of pronotum with rugulae. Mesopleura generally smooth and shining. Rugula on higher portion of mesopleura extending to small pit of mesothoracic spiracles. Dorsal surface of propodeum smooth and shining. Dorsal surface of petiole smooth and shining. Lateral surface of petiole generally smooth, but with one longitudinal rugula. Dorsal and lateral surfaces of postpetiole smooth and shining.

Standing pilosity abundant. Dorsal face of head with erect to suberect setae abundantly. Clypeus with two pairs of long setae in anterior portion, one directed upward and the other downward. Anterior clypeal margin with one pair of long setae medially and short setae laterally. Scapes with suberect setae. Mesosoma with seven pairs of long erect and stout setae (ps1PN, ps2PN, psaMN, pspMN, psPR, ps1PS, and ps2PS) that are much longer than other erec setae. Posterolateral tubercles of petiole posteriorly with three pairs of long setae. Postpetiole with three pairs of long setae on disc anteriorly, posteriorly and laterally. Fourth abdominal tergite with erect to suberect setae abundantly, but no decumbent to appressed setae.

Body yellow. All flagellar segments yellow.

Comments: In the worker this species can be distinguished from all other members of the C. binghamii group by the undeveloped or weakly developed propodeal spines. This species is similar to C. brevispina , but can be distinguished from it by the weakly developed propodeal spines (PSL 0–0.03 vs. 0.04–0.07 in the latter); the length smaller than the diameter of propodeal spiracles.

Distribution: This species is known from Nepal, India, Bangladesh, Thailand and Vietnam ( Fig. 50 ).

Material examined: BANGLADESH: three workers, Jointapur (30 min sample), 30.x.1994, (K. Ogata) ; INDIA: three workers, NE India, (no date) (S. P. Kurl) ; NEPAL: three workers, Kathmandu (1350 m alt.), 23.ix.1983 (M. G. Allen) ; THAILAND: nine workers, Lumchangwat Stn., Khao Ang Reu Nai WS, Chacheongsao Prov., E. Thailand, 21.viii.2003, (TH03-SKY-55) (Sk. Yamane) ; VIETNAM: two workers, Rung Thong, Dong Son Dist., Thanh Hoa Prov. (19°49 ′ S 105°43 ′ E), 30.xi.1999, (K. Ogata) 15 min TUS #2 ; one worker, Rung Thong, Dong Son Dist., Thanh Hoa Prov. (19°49 ′ S 105°43 ′ E), 1.xii.1999, (K. Ogata) 15 min TUS #2.

Figures

Figure 50. Geographical distribution of the species of the C. binghamii group.

Figures 96–103. Body in lateral view. 96, Crematogaster baduvi, worker [Endau Rompin National Park, W. Malaysia]; 97, Crematogaster bandarensis, worker [Tai Rom Yen National Park, Surat Thani Prov., S. Thailand]; 98, Crematogaster binghamii, worker [Dry evergreen forest, Lumchangwat Stn., Khao Ang Reu Nai WS, Chacheongsap Prov., E. Thailand]; 99, Crematogaster biroi, worker [Punjavi Univ. Campus, Patiala, Punjab Prov., India]; 100, Crematogaster biroi, intermediate worker [Punjavi Univ. Campus, Patiala, Punjab Prov., India]; 101, Crematogaster brevispina, worker [Tabuc- Tubig, Oriental Dumaguete, Negros, Philippines]; 102, Crematogaster brunensis, worker [Bukit Sulang, nr. Lamunin, Brunei]; 103, Crematogaster celebensis, worker [Kadokaan, P. Batudaka, Togian Island, Sulawesi, Indonesia].